Spiral-screw button



(No Model.)

H. B. LUM.

SPIRAL SCREW BUTTON.

No. 419,206. Patented Jan. 14,1890.

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NITE STATES PATENT OFFI E.

HENRY B. LUM, OF RED BANK, NEXV JERSEY.

SPIRAL-SCREW BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,206, dated January14, 1890.

Application filed April 16, 1889. Serial No. 807,503. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY l3. LUM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Red Bank, in the county of Monmouth, State of New J ersey,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spiral ScrewButtons, of which the following is so full, clear, and exact adescription as will enable others skilled in the art to which myinvention appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a viewof abutton providedwith m y improved spiral fastener, having a straight shank between thebutton and the spiral. Fig. 2 is a View of asimilarbutton having a shankextending obliquely between the button proper and the spiral. Fig. 3 isa view of a similar button having a pair of spirals and two shanksextending diagonally from the button to the spiral. Fig. 4 is aview of asimilar button having a pair of spirals and one shank extendingdiagonally across between the button and the spiral and the other atright angles to the line of the planes of the button and spiral. Fig. 5is a detail view of the spiral'detached, showing a slight variation inconstruction, showing the point projecting slightly beyond the coil ofthe spiral and provided with a slight indentation to facilitate thebreaking of the spiral at will, as will be hereinafter explained.

The object of my invention is to provide a button which can be quicklyand readily attached by a tourist or any person not particularly skilledin the art of attaching buttons in the shortest possible time, at theleast expense of time, material, and physical force.

Another object of my invention is to provide a button which maybereadily and easily attached to a fabric or leather or other material,and one by the use of which the least amount of material will bedisplaced or dis figured.

Another object of my invention is to provide a button which may bequickly attached and the spiral then broken off, so as to prevent anyscratching or pricking and consequent discomfort to the wearer ordestruction to the garment to which the button is attached.

To that end it consists in providing a button with a helical fasteningor holder consistin g of a spiral screw beyond the shank,which isindented and extends in some instances at an angle to the axis of thecoil, and by reason of its cheapness, simplicity, ease of attachment,firmness of grip, and the facility with which it may be removed andreplaced or its use repeated it will readily recommend itself to thegeneral public as a desirable article.

The button requires no special machinery for fastening any disconnectedparts together, it is always ready for use, and can be firmly and easilyattached in a moment by any person who may have occasion to replace alost button at such time and place as the procurement of needle andthread and buttons is impracticable. The button can be made of anysuitable material, and this improved fastening of mine can be used onbuttons for any kind of garment, although it is more particularlyadapted for use as a pantaloon-button. The button may have a straightshank, as shown in Fig. 1; or it may have a shank extending diagonallyacross between the button and the coil, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; or astraight and slanting shank may both be combined in the same button, asshown in Fig. 4.

In the accompanying drawings, A designates the button proper. To this issecured the shank B, which is provided at its lower end with a spiral orcoil C. The end of the coil 0 is provided with a point a, which isadapted to pierce the garment to which the button is to be attached.\Vhere a straight or square shank is used, the button is held firmly inplace. I sometimes provide an inclined shank, as shown in Fig. 2, tofacilitate the ready removal of the button from stiffer fabrics.

In Fig. 4 I show one shank extending at right angles to the line of thebutton and another extending diagonally between the button and the coil.This forms an extremely rigid fastening.

In Fig. 8 I show both shanks extending diagonally between the button andthe coil. This style of fastening forms a secure and rigid fastening,and one which would facilitate the ready and easy removal of the buttonfrom leather, rubber, or other material which may be stiff andsemi-inflexible.

In Fig. 5 I showan extended point D, which is adapted to extend throughthe garment quickly and facilitate the ease of starting the button intothe garment. A serration (1 somewhat back of the point will facilitatethe b reaking of this extended end and the removal of the same, th usleaving a firm fastening without any point to injure the fabric or thewearer. It will of course beunderstood that the fastener may be providedwith a hook at one end and a spiral at the other, in such a manner thatthe hook may be inserted through the eye or eyes of an ordinary buttonand then screwed in place, which will form a fastener which can be usedwith any button the eye of which is sufficiently large to permit oftheinsertion of the fastener. The wire of which the coil is made will ofcourse be sufficiently pliable to enable the operator to partiallystraighten it out should this be necessary in placing itthrough thebutton. \Vhen the point has been broken away, the remainder of the coilwill spring back up next to the main portion of the wire, and thusprevent all 1 possible abrasion of the wearer or the adjacent fabric. 7

I of course understand that shirt-studs have been provided with bluntspiral screws for insertion through an eyelet. There is nothing,however, in such a form of button that will enable it to be used for thepurposes for which my invention is designed.

In attaching the button which is made the subject of this applicationthe sharp point of the spiral is forced through the garment. The buttonis then brought flat and into the position which it should occupy withrelation to the surface of the garment, and it is turned around untilthe spiral is entirely beyond the outer surface of the fabric or garmentcare being taken, of course, not to allow the point of the spiral tocome through on the outside of the garment. If the fabric is double, itwill be found advantageous to only insert the spiral through onethickness of the garment. In some instances, however, it may be founddesirable to put it entirely through the garment to secure a more rigidfastening.

I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exactconstruction shown; but

W hat'I wish to secure by Letters Patent, and What I therefore claim, is

1. A helical button-fastener of the' character described, consisting ofa helical holder ending with a sharp point and provided with a recessbetween the point and the upper portion of the fastener, substantiallyas described.

2. In a button-fastening of the character described, the combination ofa button and two coils having sharpened points and shanks extending atan angle to the axis of the coil, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY B. LUM.

Vitnesses:

WINFIELD S. B. PARKER, WILLIAM MULLIGAN.

